


Living for Another Chance

by ChemCat



Series: Double Meanings [1]
Category: Ai no Kusabi
Genre: M/M, Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:46:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChemCat/pseuds/ChemCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raoul Am has lost his best, and maybe the only, friend. The person who may know anything about the fateful day is Iason’s ex-Furniture. Is the information all that Raoul wants from Katze?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Living for Another Chance

**Living for another Chance**

 

He is touching the smooth surface of his left cheek and smiles bitterly. Self-despising and taunting laughter is rising in his throat – barely restrained. His eyes are shut tightly. Suddenly, the noise inside of the apartment startles Katze and causes him to move his hand and break the contact with the mirror.

 

“Longing for the times long past?” asks Raoul Am who, after Iason’s death, took over the Black Market’s leadership.

“No, I was just…is there a reason you wanted to see me?”

“Yes. What do you know about Jad Kuga’s involvement with Ranaya Hugo?”

 

Katze blinks in surprise. Surely, Raoul Am has other things to worry about than a meaningless mongrel’s sexual affairs.

 

“He’s contacted Ranaya Hugo several times; however, I’d say it wasn’t for business, but for a more of a… social reason, if you ascertain my meaning.”

“He’s influential enough. You sure that’s all, mongrel?”

Katze grimaces and nods. “Yes, that’s all.”

 

Not for the first time during the past weeks, Katze was summoned to Blondie’s private apartments. Not for the first time also, the reason for the summoning turns out to be curious, at best.

 

“Is there anything else you need me for, Raoul?”

 

Blondie looks at him with inscrutable eyes. His face contorts ever so slightly in a rage that is barely controlled.

 

“Actually, I was thinking whether I should shoot you full of drugs and, finally, get it over with but… I think you should be—you should answer while conscious.”

 

Katze swallows hard. It is in such moments that he loathes, fears, and admires Raoul at the same time. He is the only Blondie, Katze knows of, who has this raging storm of emotions just beneath the cold exterior, and burning fire in his green eyes.

 

_Emotions. Is it possible?_

 

It also seems, as if for Raoul Am the time has stopped the day Iason died. He is _always_ coming back to the topic, as if by reopening the wound he could bring his friend back. This time however, this whole setup is not only about Iason Mink’s demise. Or is it only Katze’s imagination?

 

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. What has _really_ happened in Dana Bahn that day?”

“I told you everything I know, Raoul.”

“You lie!”

 

The rage that was boiling just beneath the surface now emerges with a full force, and for a while, Raoul Am looks alive and not like just another one of Jupiter’s artificial creations. The hair on the back of Katze’s neck stand upright and he catches himself staring.

 

“Why has Iason gone there?”

 

It looks as if Blondie desperately wants to hear that Iason went to Dana Bahn to save Riki. That Iason Mink, Jupiter’s most perfect child, was human enough to love. And that his love was returned.

 

_Why do you care about that?_

 

“I… I told you everything, Raoul. I know nothing more.”

“Someone has told me about one more man being present there.” Cold tone in Blondie’s voice matches the ice of his cruel smile.

 

_Jiko. Jiko from Nil Datz._

 

Katze’s mind is racing. Of course, Raoul, taking over Iason’s place on the Black Market, would have also inherited all the contacts.

 

_What have you told him, Jiko?_

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Think hard, mutt. Iason went to Dana Bahn to fetch Riki. A thing so simple, yet, it has killed him. Later, I’m finding out that _another_ person has been involved. I shouldn’t be surprised, I guess. After all, Riki had been missing for two days before Iason went for him. I want to know with _whom_ Riki spent those days. And where is this man _now_?”

 

Katze’s heart almost stops and his palms are sweating. “He’s dead.”

 

A hit on his cheek sends him tumbling to the floor.

 

“You lie! Better start talking if you value your life.”

“His name is…” For a moment, Katze hesitates. He’s promised Riki to save Guy. If he speaks now, that promise will be broken. Nevertheless, Katze wants to live a bit more, because he has found a reason to - twisted and sick maybe, but it's all he has now. Raoul takes advantage of Katze’s confusion and grabs him by the collar.

 

“Talk!”

“You’re chocking me, Raoul.”

“Give me a reason not to! Where is _he_ now?!”

“He won’t cause any problems. He’s as good as dead.”

“This _Guy_ caused enough problems already and you’re still protecting him? You? An advance guard of Iason Mink? And you dare to claim you know nothing?”

 

Blondie squeezes Katze’s neck harder.

 

“If you knew it was Guy, why did you ask? What do you _really_ want to hear from me, Raoul?”

 

Raoul throws Katze across the room and slumps onto the carpet. A sight, Katze never expected to see.

 

“Raoul?”

“Don’t act so familiar, Furniture.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

 

The question is so incredulous that for a moment, Raoul loses his composure.

 

“Why do you ask, Katze?”

 

_Katze?_

 

“Iason left you as well, hasn’t he, Raoul?”

“And what _that_ has to do with anything?”

“Maybe those who survived should learn something from those who died—”

“I did learn. I’ll never let anyone to deceive me. Now, get out!”

 

Yet, Katze doesn’t move from the spot where he’s landed. He cannot. Something in Raoul’s expression calls to him. The Blondie’s wild beauty is so different from Iason’s coldness. Before Katze can stop himself, the words tumble out of his lips. “I loved Iason. At least I think it was love. I begrudged Riki for having something I knew I could never have. That day, it felt as if a part of me died with them in Dana Bahn. Later, much later, when the grief became bearable, I realized there’s still life I want to embrace. That on this sick and wretched planet, there’s still something worth living for.”

 

Raoul’s eyes are sending daggers in Katze’s direction. “Maybe there’s also _someone_ worth living for, Katze? Do you and this _Guy_ lick each other’s wounds, thinking of the lovers that were-not-to-be?” The fury is creeping back into Blondie’s voice and he springs to his feet. “Do you fantasize, what could have been had the things gone differently? Or do you take some masochistic pleasure from reminiscing the past?”

“I’d rather look into the future.”

“What future does the ex-Furniture have?”

“The one he makes for himself.”

 

Oddly, that seems to calm Raoul a bit.

 

“Raoul? If you don’t need me anymore I’ll—”

“I do.”

“What?”

 

Katze searches the Blondie’s face for a sign of a cruel joke.

 

“I need you to prepare the transfer papers for the latest transaction with the Larcon planet.”

“They’ll be ready in a few hours.”

“Good. Bring them to my study.”

 

With that, Raoul disappears into his bedroom, shutting the door behind and leaving Katze alone.

 

_You were right Raoul, there is someone worth living for._

 

Katze smiles as he closes the door on his way out. He knows that the papers are not important enough to be delivered straight to the Blondie’s private study; but so does Raoul. His cheek still burns from the blow and he wonders if the violence will ever end.

 

_I won’t seduce you, Raoul - I don’t know how, but one of these days, your touch will be different._

 

THE END


End file.
